Substance
by Kitera
Summary: Ariadne doesn't remember how she got to that room but she isn't alone in it either.


**A/N: **Just an Arthur/Ariadne oneshot to fill the space at the moment. I had to write this idea as I was writing it in my head and typically that tends to drive me a little mad so I put it down in word and here it is. I hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** _Inception_ and its characters are property of Christopher Nolan. I own nothing more than the plot of this little piece.

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**Substance

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When Ariadne wakes it's to an unfamiliar hotel room. The how and why of her arrival there conspicuously missing from her memory. The room is dark, curtains drawn against the outside world. She can see light illuminating the wall and a thin strip of ceiling above the window informing her that its day again. But in her mind she isn't quite sure what that means; if it means anything at all.

She remembers a lot of drinking before things got fuzzy. Some sort of celebration? She isn't sure. Ariadne sits up bleary eyes searching the dim room for her totem. It was in her jeans pocket before wasn't it? She needs the assurance that this is a dream because it definitely feels that way.

She's just moving to the edge of the bed when the mattress shifts and an arm wraps around her waist. She freezes at a loss. Panic welling at the base of her throat a scream at the ready.

"Don't go." A familiar voice mumbles thickly.

The world stills for a fraction of a second and Ariadne wonders if her heart stopped. She hadn't thought when she woke to check if she were still dressed; alone. She did then. The fates must have been on her side as she was still wearing her underwear but the shirt wasn't hers. It was much too big the buttons sewn on the wrong side. Perhaps Arthur had given it to her as something to sleep in. That didn't answer the question of why she was in the same bed as him when there was another queen closer to the window.

Her panic ebbed away, her confusion growing exponentially as she sat back. Arthur's arm tightening around Ariadne's waist as he nuzzled her neck.

"I'm not going anywhere." She murmured.

"Good." She could just make out a grin on Arthur's face as he spoke.

There was another moment's quiet between them. But unlike the tension that filled the previous one it was relaxed. Slipping further down so that she was actually laying next to Arthur she watched his face. Contrary to what she'd expected Arthur appeared quite alert despite his mumbling.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked.

"Not long." He promised gently rolling them so that Ariadne was beneath him, "You talk in your sleep."

Indignation crossed her face, "I do not."

"You do."

"Then what did I say?" She challenged.

"They're still looking at us." His tone held a distinct note of amusement before he continued, "Dreaming of when I told you to kiss me?"

Ariadne flushed and looked away. There wasn't a point in lying but she wasn't going to answer either even though her silence would only confirm it anyway.

"I thought so." Arthur murmured seconds before pressing his lips to hers.

The kiss wasn't the chaste one they shared in Fischer's mind. It was warm, deep. It held things that neither knew how to voice at this point. It breathed of their mutual attraction though and that was enough to distract them with each other and not notice the door open or the curtains rattling as they were drawn back.

"My. I'm sorry. I believe I misjudged my entrance." Eames stated although when they pulled apart there was no mistaking the pleasure in his expression or the amusement in his tone.

Ariadne flushed again trying to avoid looking at Eames as he sauntered out of the room whistling as if he hadn't interrupted at all.

"Breakfast?" Arthur asked pulling away from her revealing a bare chest and taunt stomach. He was trying, Ariadne realized, to mask the fact that he was annoyed with Eames. It might work with the others but she knew better.

"Sure. Give me ten minutes?" She murmured getting out the bed and picking through the clothes strewn on the ground for hers. Her hand closing on the jeans pocket that held her totem and she felt its weight.

She dressed quickly and left the room in need of a shower and a change of clothes. In the elevator Ariadne removed her totem from her pocket and gave it a flick reassuring herself that she was indeed in reality.


End file.
